The Messenger
by Lady Danar
Summary: 6 months after landing back on Earth Alex has returned to MI6 but this time it's voluntary! Jack has been shot and it's his job to track down the man behind it and the criminals behind the man.
1. Chapter 1: The Messenger

This is my first Alex Rider fanfic so be nice! I got the inspiration whilst taking a letter to the post box... don't ask!

* * *

**Chapter 1: The Messenger**

It was a harsh night; darkened clouds covered the sky blotting out the faint glow of the moon. A bitter wind swept the landscape as a dark figure darted into the gloom. Clutched to their side was an envelope – Classified – this was what the figure was running for: the delivery, for the figure running was the Messenger.

The wind raged again and the figure stumbled into the light from the lamppost, the wind blew a strand of hair across the figures face and as it was flicked away the Messenger urged onwards into the night.  
A car sped past, it's driver hunched over the steering wheel, and it wasn't the kind of night to be out and about, nevertheless the figure sped up their pace and surged onwards. Skidding down the slope the Messenger stopped dead at the bottom, looking up ahead at the incline in front. The figure hurried along the winding path sliding to a halt at the top. Taking the key from their pocket the figure thrust it into the keyhole, twisted it and released the door. Slamming the package onto the floor of the compartment the young Messenger's eyes flicked to the window above as the curtains twitched.  
Job done. This package was more than the Messenger's reputation was worth. More than that, it was more than their life was worth and sometimes, the Messenger realised, that wasn't much. The figure closed and locked the box and slipping the key into their pocket and retreated into the night.

Surveillance. That was exactly what he needed; he needed definite evidence of the Messenger. Alan Blunt was sitting in his usual grey office reading the Messenger's file – no longer would this be the only intelligence MI6 had on this guy. In a moment Mrs. Jones would walk in with the new data from the agent that was following the Messenger. This would be key in get to the bottom of the connections between some of the foremost criminal rings in the world. There was a knock on the door. "Come in." Mrs. Jones entered the room (as usual smelling of peppermints.  
"Do you want the good news or the bad news first?" From the look on her face Blunt could tell he wasn't going to like what was coming next, he motioned for her to continue, "Go on"  
"The Messenger was there at the train station as you said and he did make the drop off but the place was empty by the time back-up arrived"  
Blunt surveyed her carefully before speaking "Was that the good news or the bad news"  
"That was the good news," she said, "when the Messenger left our agent followed him, at the bus depot the Messenger realised he was being followed and ran. The agent gave chase but then the Messenger pulled a gun in the middle of Sloane Square and there was an... ah, altercation with some civilians." She stopped not sure whether to go on.  
"Was anyone hurt?" Blunt enquired.  
"Just one," Mrs. Jones continued, "She tried to tackle him and he shot her in the leg.  
Blunt raised his eyebrows. "It gets worse doesn't it?" he alleged. She nodded.  
"It was Jack Starbright." She paused for a moment. "Alex is waiting downstairs in the foyer."

* * *

**Please read and review!**


	2. Chapter 2: Mission Brief

**Woo! Second chapter!

* * *

**

Chapter 2: Mission Brief

"Good morning Alex." Said Alan Blunt, head of special operations at MI6. Alex hated doing this but Jack had been shot and Alex had remembered MI6 "offering" him a "job" a few months earlier referring to someone called the Messenger. When he heard Jack's description he recognised it immediately. He hadn't told her he was coming to the Royal & General; he had said he had some homework to finish whereas as soon as he left the hospital he grabbed his bike and raced to Liverpool Street.

As he had drawn his bike up to the front of the Royal & General Bank Alex had realised that he was continually resigning his fate to MI6 – Voluntarily! He had insisted on going back to Point Blanc, he had insisted on following up Damien Cray himself, he had always fallen into MI6's hands so easily. And he had to admit that now, 6 months after arriving back from Australia, although MI6 hadn't bothered him (much) life was getting dull. He had even managed to catch up in his GCSEs to the overall delight of his teachers. Now even having a break from school in the holidays was getting tiresome.

Now, half an hour later Alex had been briefed on the Messenger and had been given a file to read through – great he thought more reading.

_The Messenger:_

_The Messenger has been a known accomplice to many top criminals around the globe for at least 6 years. Not much more information is known about him but he has been sighted in more than 20 capital cities around the globe in the past year. The Messenger works on a client base of over 50 criminal rings, organisations and wanted criminals, making allies and travelling between them with messages or packages of vital importance. Such known clients are/were:  
·SCORPIA __·Damien Cray (deceased) ·Falcon 56  
__·AndrewDarwin __·General Alexei Sarov (deceased) ·Yassen Gregorovich (deceased)__  
·The Harrow Brothers (deceased) ·The Big Circle_

This list went on for several pages and Alex skimmed through most of the names ignorant to the bulk of the list. He only recognised a few and those few brought back memories he'd rather forget. He read on...

_Thought to be a dangerous individual, the Messenger is known to be a high-risk gun fighter and a 1st grade Dan in karate. _

Alex yawned. He'll read the rest later; he knew what he had to do. The Messenger's next job would be to collect and deliver a package from a specific place in the German town of Cochem from a man who would answer correctly to a secret code. That man would be a MI6 agent. Then he, Alex would follow the Messenger to the dropoff where, if MI6 has enough intelligence he will be arrested. Simple. But then again Alex Thought Wimbledon was supposed to be simple.

* * *

**Please read and review!**


	3. Chapter 3: Gadgets

**Woo! Chapter 3 up and running! I had to do it on my Grandad's laptop but I _did_ get it done! Oh - and by the way, excuse the Artemis Fowl reference, i'm currently making my way through the books and have just finished The Eternity Code (such a sad ending) Anyway... enjoy!**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 3 - Gadgets**

The next morning Alex woke up early, skimmed the Messenger's file again before taking a quick shower before catching the first bus to the General Hospital.

Jack had been expecting him and was sitting up in bed when Alex had poked his head around the door.  
"Morning Alex", she said, putting down her magazine with a stern look on her face, "I hope the house hasn't become an unidentifiable smouldering ruin while I've been gone"  
Alex laughed, "No, you can just about make out the kitchen sink amongst the entrails!" The stern look on her face disappeared as she gestured to a chair beside her.  
"How's the coursework going?" Alex looked down and smiled… normality! There was no need to tell her about the Messenger.

Two hours later Alex was locking his bike to a lamppost outside the Royal & General and walked into the foyer. The receptionist looked up and picked up the phone.  
"He's here." There was some speaking on the other end of the line; Alex was standing at the desk. "You are to go straight to Smithers' office." She didn't even wait for a reply as she carried on with her other work. Alex sighed and made his was towards Smithers' office.

He still couldn't believe what he was doing - Was it the right thing? What would Jack say? She'd kill him for sure even if the Messenger didn't. Alex reached Smithers' door and it opened automatically "Welcome to my office... Alex Rider" said an automated voice: iris scanner; AI cameras... telepathy? You could never tell with Smithers.

"Hello Alex", said a smooth voice from inside the room. Alex raised his head, it couldn't be...

There he was, standing in front of him, leaning casually against the doorframe with his hands in his pockets (no doubt millimetres away from a weapon) - Yassen Gregorovich. The man who had caused him so much pain, who had died, right in front of him after being shot by a psychotic pop-star. No - it couldn't be.

"Good, isn't it?" said Yassen. Wait thought Alex That wasn't the smooth accent of the Russian? Yassen flickering and disappeared to reveal Smithers holding a small hologram project. "It's a new invention of mine, completely controllable. If I wanted I could make him say 'I smell like a Toothbrush"  
"Why would you want to do that?" asked Alex, raising his eyebrow. Smithers shrugged in a way that that said "why not?" and turned his back on Alex retreating to his desk.  
"So", he began, "You again, I knew you'd be back" Alex narrowed his eyes, "Well, anyway I've had some great ideas for you, my boy. We're spreading into some very new hi-tech technology from a man named Foaly - works for some secret organisation." He paused before opening his top desk draw and bringing out what looked like a sausage. For not the first time in this meeting Alex raised his eyebrows, "This is the only weapon I'm allowed to give you and that is only because Blunt doesn't exactly know how it works"  
Alex smiled at this. "But what does it actually do?" he asked.  
"It's a long-range, voice-activated hypodermic... um... finger." Smithers went on, "It's a fake finger, by putting this on the index finger of your left hand and saying the word 'dare' it let's out a minute hypodermic needle, firing it to up to 200m away"  
"Impressive" replied Alex as he slipped the fake finger over his real, genuine one, it blended in perfectly. Smithers reached back inside his desk and brought out a pair of sunglasses. "I already have some sunglasses Mr Smithers, but let me guess: these contain x-ray lenses and you have to wear them upside-down otherwise they'll blow up"  
Smithers smiled, "You're partially correct, these indeed do have x-ray filters along with infra-red, night vision, thermal and motion sensors. Built into the lens are a tiny camera and microphone and also a screen on which you can view footage you have recorded, I can also send you any information. There are additional cameras built into the frame for looking behind you or even around corners." As Smithers finished he brought out a digital watch and small key. "This watch has all of the controls for the glasses when you open it up and be careful because by turning the face clockwise it acts as stun grenade, realising gases that will give you at least 5 minutes to escape a situation. Whereas if you turn it anti clockwise it will admit an electro magnetic pulse deactivating any electric device within a 100 metre radius but be warned it will also disable the watches communications until I can reactivate it.  
"Just a simple bit of kit then?" Alex slide the new watch onto his wrist. "What's the key for"  
Smithers picked up the key, "This is to unlock your bike." Alex smiled, no doubt his old faithful bike was now slightly more deadly and the seat was slightly more eject able. He picked up his new gadgets and exited the room in a much better mood than he entered.

Smithers looked up as his secretary came in through the panel door. "That boy is starting to enjoy this a bit more than he'd like to admit."

* * *

**I hope you liked it! Please read and review!**


End file.
